Friday, January 17, 2014

If you run Gingerbread, start from A directlyIf you run un-rooted Jellybean, start from BIf you run rooted Jellybean with a custom kernel, start from C.If you run rooted Jelly Bean without a custom kernel, start from B, but skip number 1 and 6.

You might want to read this before starting, it is optional though, but will give you a better idea of what you're doing.

Extract it into a separate folder, you will get a .tar.md5 file.
Make sure you have Kies installed, but not running.
Turn your phone off, and boot into Download mode, this can be done by holding the Vol.Down+Home+Power buttons together at the same time, till it boots.
Press Volume up to continue. Plug in your phone (make sure it's at least 60% charged) .
Wait till Odin recognizes (It should say something like COM:PORT... to the left).
Click on PDA and choose the firmware (.tar.md5) that you extracted in step 2.
Click start. Right now, a virus which will fry your phone's internals is being installed... Calm down, joke.
When your phone boots into JB, and Odin says "PASS". Unplug.

Now, you are currently on a stock Samsung Jellybean firmware, which is not rooted. This basically means that you do not have access to modifying the system files in your ROM, which means that you cannot install any custom kernel, custom recovery or a custom ROM... In section B, you will learn how to gain root access, install a custom kernel with a custom recovery.

Sometimes after temp cwm you are nt able to access the Mem card which leaves you with 2 options.
1)Factory reset by going back on main screen of cwm and then look for sd card again
2)Choose it from Internal Memory.

Place all 3(or 2 if you're rooted) zip files in your external SD card
Power off. Boot into recovery by holding Vol.Up+Home+Power.
By navigating via volume buttons, choose install zip from external sd card, and install root.zip... shouldn't take long.
In the same way install update.zip. Now in a few seconds, you will get a different screen, this is Clockworkmod recovery, albeit a temporary one..
In this recovery, go to install zip, then install zip from external sd, and choose CoCore+TWRP. After installation, keep going back until the main cwm screen, and hit reboot.

NOW, Everytime you boot into recovery (which is the way to backing up and installing custom ROMs) you will get TWRP.

Now, you are rooted, with a custom kernel, and TWRP ( a custom recovery). You can either stay on stock Samsung firmware, or continue through section C, and get yourself a custom ROM.

Download any custom ROM (Recommendations at the end of the thread) zip and place it in the root of your external (or internal, but i prefer ext.) sd.
Boot into recovery.
Navigate by touch, press backup, and slide as instructed to make a backup.
Go back to the main screen and choose install. If the zip has been placed in ext. sd. then press on external sd and choose the appropriate zip and slide to install. If placed in internal sd, then choose internal sd from the top and go to /emmc folder, and choose zip and install.
When finished, navigate to the recovery home, and press reboot sytem.Frequently Asked Questions

Q- Which of the above will increase my binary counter?
A- None! Let me clarify how the binary counter is tipped. The only way the binary counter can be increased is if you flash anything that is non-official Samsung signed, via Odin.

Q- How do I unroot?
A- You can unroot simply by following the steps in section A and not continuing with the rest of the guide.

Optional : To Increase Battery Life Watch the Following Video :

*** If the article helps you. Please like/Share it or leave a comment !